High Court clears group of costs

A confidentail report into the new football facility on Sandygate Lane, Hemsworth, shows that it fails to meet the standards set out at the planning stages. Jim kenyon, who has been actively fighting against the developement, pictured with the report.'h1548d015

Published:11:21Friday 13 May 2011

AN ACTION group that was accused of owing more than £11,000 to the community of Hemsworth has had court confirmation that it does not.

Hemsworth Town Council had claimed that the Hemsworth and District Community Action group owed £11,911 for solicitor costs racked up by fighting the group’s appeal into an application for a judicial review.

But the High Court in London has confirmed that the only money owed by the group was £2,850 plus VAT, which was paid in May 2008.

Jim Kenyon, who was elected onto the town council in Thursday’s elections, was named on the application, which was aimed at stopping the sale of Hemsworth Sports Complex, Kirkby Road.

The complex was sold to fund the new Hemsworth Town Council Community Centre, Bullenshaw Road, and the Sandygate Football Facility.

The judicial review application at the High Court failed and the action group was ordered to pay the council’s initial costs of £2,850 plus VAT.

The group then appealed the judge’s decision before dropping it due to a lack of funds.

The council said the additional money was costs incurred by fighting the appeal.

Coun Kenyon said: “Hemsworth Town Council sent me a bill for £11,911, claiming this was the amount owed to them for solicitor’s costs. This was an unlawful and bogus claim by the council to discredit me and the action group.

“The councillors who sanctioned this cost the public £11,911 and between them they should pay this money back to the council and this community with interest.

“Although being notified by the High Court on April 23 that the town councillors acted wrongly they have still not apologised.

“The former chairman of the council, Graham West, also stated in the Express in February that he stood by his statement that money was still outstanding to the community in the form of costs from the withdrawn appeal.

“Mr West was wrong. This was an unlawful and failed attempt to extort money from me and the action group.

“Despite all the remarks made to blacken me I was still elected.”

Hemsworth Town Council was unavailable to comment due to staff holidays.